1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the sport of baseball and, more particularly, to a safety device which allows a spectator to return a foul ball without interrupting the game or risking injury to a player or an umpire. The device is a basket that attaches to the back of a backstop and has an opening through which a spectator can insert a retrieved foul ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
At Major League baseball games, a foul ball caught or retrieved by a spectator is considered a souvenir which the spectator typically takes home or gives to a nearby child. However, at non-professional baseball games such as little league, junior high school, high school, softball and community league games, foul balls are not considered souvenirs and are typically returned to the game by being thrown onto the field, to a player or to the umpire. Although generally helpful, this practice presents two concerns: first, if the game has resumed play using another ball, then the spectator""s return of the retrieved ball interrupts the game. When the retrieved ball is thrown out onto the field, to a player or to the umpire, the game must be stopped while the umpire collects the ball. Second, and more importantly, the spectator""s return of a foul ball presents a serious safety hazard. If the spectator throws the ball to a player or an umpire who is unaware that the spectator is returning the ball to the game, then the player or umpire could be injured if, for example, the ball hits him in the head.
Although the prior art does not teach a device that enables a baseball spectator to safely return a foul ball without interrupting the game, it does teach several ball returning devices for various sports. Examples of these are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 1,869,642 to Woolman for a driving range registering device that measures the distance of a golf drive and returns the golf ball to the player via piping; U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,711 to Zak for a tennis training assembly that includes a funnel-like ball collecting means; U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,292 to Cohen et al. for an automated basketball game; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,883 to Grimaldi et al. for a pitching target with an inclined trough for ball return. However, none of the devices taught by these patents is suited for safely returning a foul ball without interrupting the game.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,927 to Anglea teaches a device used to support baseballs during batting practice. The device consists of a box-like container and an upright support member. During batting practice, the device is located near the pitcher and contains a plurality of baseballs. With the device, the pitcher is able to throw consecutive pitches without having to wait for a hit ball to be retrieved from the field. However, although the device is well suited for providing a pitcher with an uninterrupted supply of baseballs during practice, it is not suited for allowing a spectator to return a foul ball to an active game. First, spectators are usually separated from the playing field by fenced backstop or field fence and, therefore, simply placing a foul ball in such a device on the spectator""s side of a fence would not return the ball to the game. Second, a box-like device that is not permanently installed in the spectator""s area is likely to be moved, removed or used as a trash receptacle.
Thus, none of the above mentioned inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed and, further, a foul ball basket solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is a safety device that attaches to the spectators"" side of a baseball backstop and allows a spectator to return a foul ball without interrupting the game or risking injury to a player or umpire. The device is comprised of a multi-planar frame that is partially covered with fence wiring. When attached to a baseball backstop, the device has two openingsxe2x80x94one with a flap that lines up with a pre-cut hole in the backstop and a second opening, without a flap, that faces the spectators. The device allows a spectator to return a foul ball by inserting it through the unflapped opening. The umpire is then able to retrieve the ball when needed by reaching through the flapped opening and grasping the ball. During active play of a baseball game, the flap prevents a thrown or hit ball from entering the device.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a device that allows a spectator to return a foul ball to an active baseball or softball game without interrupting play.
It is another object of the invention to allow foul balls to be returned in a manner that avoids injury to inattentive players or umpires by eliminating the need for a spectator to throw a retrieved ball back onto the field.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device that does not obstruct a spectator""s view of a game.
Still another object of the invention is to prevent a ball, while in play, from being inadvertently thrown into the invention.
Further, it is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.